recordings on the Tico label from the late 1940s through mid-1950s. He just produced an ambitious CD release of the first of 156 of Puente’s 78 r.p.m.
recordings were originally released on the Tico label. That last title has become more important, as Joe dedicates himself to preserving the music and memory of a man known variously as “The King of Latin Music,” “El Rey del Mambo,” or simplyĪnd elegantly, “The King.” (One promoter billed him as “The Mighty Atom,” a nickname that still puzzles For decades - when he was not earning a paycheck as a social worker for the city - Joe had been Tito’s publicist, confidant and archivist. Joe had taken me there on Monday to continue our conversation about the music of another old friend, Tito Puente, theĬomposer and bandleader. The two men laughed, then hugged like old friends, which they are. Instead, he suggested that Joe go do something biologically impossible. Mike did not look up from preparing a mail order package of compact discs. “You sell records here?” he said, smirking. bopped into Mike Amadeo’s music store, Casa Amadeo. The rain had barely let up on Monday afternoon when Joe Conzo Sr. (Photo: David Gonzalez/The New York Times) recordings, with Mike Amadeo, owner of the Casa Amadeo record store in the Bronx. In 1979, he introduced a scholarship fund that supported promising young Latin percussionists for more than 20 years.Joe Conzo Sr., left, who is producing a new release of Tito Puente’s 78 r.p.m. Puente also was deeply dedicated to creating opportunities for the Latin community. 110th Street - was renamed Tito Puente Way. In 1969, he was awarded the key to New York City and and the Harlem street where he grew up - E. He was considered a musical pioneer for his creativity and experimentation, and is widely credited for popularizing Latin music in the U.S.
#Tico puente professional
His parade of hits began with “Ran Kan Kan,” Puente’s first professional track recording, which serves as the soundtrack of the Google Doodle.īeyond the mambo movement, Puente experimented across other genres of Latin music such as the Boogaloo, Pachanga and eventually Salsa. He started his own band, the Tito Puente Orchestra, in 1948 and quickly earned a reputation for his performances that encouraged audiences to get on the dance floor. He continued his studies at New York City’s Juilliard School of Music after the war.
He served in the Navy during World War II, playing alto saxophone as the ship’s bandleader - along with more than 10 other instruments. He started his career as a drummer in his early teens and found his big break playing for Federico Pagani’s Happy Boys and Machito’s Orchestra. He was surrounded by Puerto Rican, Cuban and big band music growing up, and displayed significant musical talent from an early age. Puente was born on April 20, 1923, in New York City’s Spanish Harlem and died June 1, 2000. So Tito was part of my Puerto Rican soundtrack.” Tito was like a Svengali for talents like Celia Cruz. “My aunt introduced me to Tito Puente via La Lupe, a famous singer in Puerto Rico and New York. “Tito was part of my musical experience growing up in Puerto Rico,” Aponte said in a Q&A released by Google.
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